After the Truth

8/8/2019 After the Truth

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AFTER THE TRUTH

by

Christopher & Kathleen Riley

1997, 2004 Christopher and Kathleen Riley

All Rights Reserved


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Now you'll know.


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IN BLACKNESS

A WAGNERIAN ARIA plays, a crystalline TENOR SOLOhaunting in its beauty.

FAUCETS SQUEAK OPEN and WATER RUNS.

FADE IN:

A GLEAMING PORCELAIN SINK

Bloody hands plunge beneath the water. They washvigorously, with the thoroughness of a surgeon. Bloodswirls down the drain, a great deal of blood.

SERIES OF CLOSEUPS

Now spotless, these hands -- soft, smooth and young --adjust the cuffs of a black uniform tunic. Every moveis quick, precise, efficient.

Manicured fingers fasten a gleaming button.

The hands rub out an invisible blemish on dazzling blackboots.

A stiff uniform collar is aligned. What little is seenof the face is boyishly fresh, clean-shaven and benign.

The hands groom impeccable brown hair, position auniform cap and pull away to reveal the grim death'shead insignia of the Nazi SS.

The TENOR SOLO SOARS HEROICALLY, but is silenced by a

sudden COUGH. The COUGH BRIDGES a --

TIME CUT TO:

AN OLD MAN'S FIST

Five punishing decades have passed, and the hand thatwas once smooth and young has become a wizened fist. Itcovers the mouth of a man who hacks painfully. What canbe seen of his face suggests advanced age. The skin isloose, deeply lined and alarmingly grey. The handdescends to a gleaming button. The top one, just belowthe stiff black collar. The hand grasps the button and

slowly unfastens it.

The tunic is folded and placed atop a pair of blackpants. The SS cap drops onto the neat stack. Hear aBABY CRYING -- and a hushed DEBATE IN GERMAN.

EXT. GUNZBURG, GERMANY - LATE AFTERNOON

Rain falls heavily on this prosperous Bavarianmunicipality.

(CONTINUED)


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2.

CONTINUED:

At town center stands Gunzburg's modest courthouse. TheBABY'S CRIES and the HUSHED ARGUMENT CONTINUE.

INT. COURTROOM - SAME TIME

The CRYING and ARGUING are LOUDER here. At the defensetable Vashistha, a frightened young Pakistani, sitsbeside a fresh-faced assistant defense attorney namedHILLMANN. Hillmann glances anxiously into the gallerywhere Vashistha's wife waits, tormented by the CRIES ofher BABY -- whom she does not hold.

Across the aisle, a social worker tries to quiet theWAILING INFANT who's sheathed from the waist down in abody cast.

But the real action is taking place at the bench wherelead defense attorney PETER ROHM, 40s, too-long blondhair curling over his collar, battles JUDGE andPROSECUTOR. Their German segues into slightly accentedEnglish:

PETERYou have no evidence. None.What's the point of dragging thisout?

The Prosecutor is a bitter old war horse.

PROSECUTORThe point, Counselor, is toprotect the child from further

brutality at the hand of herfather.

PETERBrutality?! She fell from hisarms. Three witnesses agree itwas a simple accident --

PROSECUTOROf course they agree, they'reall --

He breaks off. Peter turns to the gallery; the

witnesses gaze back -- three dark-faced Pakistanis.

PETER(quietly)

They're all what, HerrProsecutor? Intelligent adults?Trustworthy observers?... Theshining future of the Fatherland?

(CONTINUED)


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3.

CONTINUED:

The Judge raises a hand in warning.

JUDGECounselor --

PETER(unrelenting)

At least we can trust the doctor.As I recall...

(a smile for theJudge)

... he's blond like us.

JUDGEHerr Rohm.

PETER(thunders)

Defense moves for dismissal.

EXT. GUNZBURG COURTHOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON

The rain has intensified. The courthouse doors swingopen and the angry Prosecutor emerges, raises hisumbrella and marches down the steps. The doors openagain and the Vashisthas appear -- the baby asleep inher tearful mother's arms. They descend the steps.Once more the doors open and Peter and Hillmann emerge.They pause as Hillmann raises his umbrella. Peterwatches his departing clients with satisfaction.

PETER

(an axiom)Always tell the truth, Felix.It's the greatest freedom wehave.

(and)Bet they didn't teach you that inlaw school.

Peter tucks his own umbrella beneath his arm and stridesinto the rain, face skyward, getting happily drenched.

CLOSE ON DESKTOP

Cigarette smoke and shadows. A bulging manila folderlies open on the desk, full of handwritten pages. Bonyfingers dial a rotary telephone, number after number.Not a local call. The voice of the caller is heard, anaged man:

MUELLER (O.S.)Ja. It's me... How are youfeeling?

(CONTINUED)


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4.

CONTINUED:

There's something slightly mocking in this voice.Something unwholesome. The fingers pick up a Germanpassport.

MUELLER (O.S.)Ja, of course I have it.

The passport is thumbed open to the photograph of itsowner.

MUELLER (O.S.)No, no, you shouldn't worry...He's perfect.

Catch a glimpse of the photo: a smiling Peter Rohm.

EXT. ROHM HOUSE (GUNZBURG) - EVENING

Daylight is waning as an old Volvo pulls into thedriveway of this handsome two-story. The corner of acurtain flicks aside, as if someone inside is watching.

ELDERLY WOMAN(V.O.)Here he comes... Are you ready?

ELDERLY MAN (V.O.)Ja, ja, ready.

Peter and Hillmann climb from the car and approach thehouse, Peter contentedly soaking up more rain. Hepauses at the front door, the porch light dark,

something amiss. He tries the door and finds itunlocked, throws Hillmann a wary look, then pushes thedoor wide.

INT. ROHM HOUSE

Lights flash on and a clamoring mob surrounds Peter, ledby three figures: HILDE, a slight woman of 70, beatingon a cast-iron skillet. This is Peter's mother. MAX,his father, a big, convivial man somewhere past 70,oompahing on an old tuba. And CORY, Peter's wife, awhat-you-see-is-what-you-get beauty fiery enough to holdher own with Peter, snapping a flash picture.

The crowd -- aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins-- shouts "Happy birthday!!!" Peter is delighted.These people clearly think a great deal of Peter, and heof them.

Cory notes Peter's soaked condition with affectionatedismay.

(CONTINUED)


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CONTINUED:

CORYOh, Peter...

MAX(knowingly)

Must have won another one.

The PHONE begins to RING. Cory heads upstairs to answerit, calling over her shoulder:

CORYGet out of those clothes --you're dripping on my floor.

INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY

PARTY NOISE filters up from below. Cory's on the phone.Peter approaches, towel draped around his neck.

CORY(to phone)

What's wrong with the quote?This morning you loved it.

Peter leans in for a kiss. Cory playfully evades.

CORYOf course he denies he said it.It makes him look like the money-grubber he is.

Peter loops his towel around her neck. She ducks coylyout of the towel and stays with her call.

CORYPaul -- Paul -- you know mebetter than that. He said it.If he didn't it wouldn't be in myarticle.

Peter snakes his soggy arms around her.

CORYI have him on tape -- want me to

play it for you?

Backed against the wall, Cory changes tactics, plantinga quick but serious kiss on Peter. Then, with a crookedsmile, she pushes him on his way down the hall.

CORYNo, no, you've questioned myjournalistic integrity, I insist.


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CONTINUED:

CORYPeter!

He scoops Kat into his arms and charges after the ball,using her dangling legs to drive the ball pastprotesting defenders into the makeshift goal.

PETERScoooooooooooooooore!!!

Kat squeals with glee.

ON VERANDA - LATER

Peter rejoins the party from the house, toweling hishair, changed into another set of dry clothes.

MAX(still rolling)

He was walking home one day in aterrible rain, he must have been10 or 12 years old --

HILDEHe was seven.

MAXSeven... really? A fight likethat?

HILDEIt was before we moved up on the

hill.

As Max thinks about that, Hilde hands Peter a card.

MAX(conceding the point)

Seven years old. He came uponthose hoodlums bullying hislittle friend --and went afterthem with his umbrella.

Max makes wild swashbuckling gestures, cackling at thememory.

MAXThat afternoon when he walked inthe house his umbrella was bent,his lip was bleeding, his clotheswere soaked -- and he waslaughing like crazy.

(a proud nod towardhis son)

Because he'd won.(CONTINUED)


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8.

CONTINUED:

Peter finishes reading the card and looks up at Hilde,moved by its content. He gives her hand a quicksqueeze.

PETERThank you, Mama.

Only one unopened gift remains. Cory hands it to Peter.

CORYLast one.

It's wrapped as if for a child.

PETERCute. Who's it from?

CORYYou brought it from the office,didn't you, Felix?

FELIXThis is the first time I've seenit.

Peter senses a joke.

PETERPapa...

MAXNot me.

PETER(the crowd)

Anyone?

His gaze settles on Cory.

CORYI really don't know, Peter. Itwas in the house with the rest ofthe gifts.

PETER

Cowards.

He digs in, tearing away the paper. As he lifts off thetop, everyone leans forward with anticipation.

PETER(playing the moment)

Looks like... another hat.

(CONTINUED)


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9.

CONTINUED:

With a flourish, he whips it from the box. Hilde drawsa quick gasp. Max's jaw tightens.

MAXWhat in hell --

Peter sits transfixed. Holding the cap of a Nazi SSuniform. After a frozen moment, he reaches back intothe box and pulls out a black uniform tunic.

HILDEDear God in heaven...

Peter turns urgently to Cory.

PETERYou must have some idea --

CORYNo, it was just... here.

No one knows more.

INT. ROHM DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Nearly everyone has gone. The uniform is spread acrossthe table and Peter examines it under the light of adesk lamp, Max and Hillmann watching over his shoulder.Cory cleans up from the party, wanting nothing to dowith this investigation.

MAX

Most of these uniformsdisappeared in the last days ofthe war. The SS dumped them andtried to pass as Wehrmachtregulars.

PETER(holding the tunic tothe light)

Look at the stitching here. Seewhere the insignia should be?It's all been removed.

HILLMANNWhy would a person do this,Peter? What does it mean?

CORYWho cares what it means? Get ridof it.

(CONTINUED)


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10.

CONTINUED:

MAX(a hooded look toPeter)

Maybe something to do with ViktorKohl.

HILLMANN... Viktor Kohl?

No answer for that, except:

MAXMaybe someone put two and twotogether.

Another look between Peter and Max.

MAXThey used to stamp the serialnumber inside the collar... sothey wouldn't get mixed up in thelaundry.

(to Hilde)Wasn't it the collar?

HILDE(flat)

The lining. Inside the leftcuff.

Hillmann raises an eyebrow at that as Max folds back thecuff and holds it to the light.

INSERT - LEFT UNIFORM CUFF

As Max's fingers work the material, rotating it in thelight, a set of badly faded numbers comes into view.Only four digits are legible: 4397.

MAX (O.S.)There it is... what's left of it.

ON SCENE

Peter and Hillmann bend low over the uniform.

PETER(reading, memorizing)

Four three nine seven... fourthree nine seven...

He strides toward the stairs. Cory turns in alarm.

(CONTINUED)


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11.

CONTINUED:

CORYPeter...?

PETERI need to check a file.

HORNED VIKING HELMET AND FLOPPY COURT JESTER'S CAP

Perched together in shadow. Only the odd outlines aredistinguishable in the room's low light. FOOTSTEPSAPPROACH.

CORY (O.S.)Peter -- what file?

A light switch is thrown illuminating the colorlesshelmet and the dazzling jester's cap. The hats restatop a file cabinet. Peter enters and bends over thecabinet, inserts a key and unlocks it. Bypassing thetop drawer labelled "A-F," he opens the second one, "G-M," flipping through the files at the rear of thedrawer. Cory watches uneasily.

CORYWhich file are you looking for?

He looks up.

PETERIt's gone.

The sound of RAIN is prominent. Peter's gaze falls on

the open window. He crosses quickly, feeling thewetness of the curtains.

PETERDid you leave this open?

CORYNo, of course not...

Peter looks out the window into the night.

CORYPeter -- what have you done?

When he doesn't answer, she urgently shuts and locks thewindow.

EXT. GUNZBURG RESIDENTIAL STREET - NIGHT

The rain has stopped. A party is breaking up andteenagers, Heineken bottles in hand, move toward theircars.

(CONTINUED)


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12.

CONTINUED:

Peter's Volvo pulls into the driveway of the housedirectly across from the party. Max and Hilde emerge.They pause at the driver's window.

MAXWell... happy birthday, such asit was.

HILDEAre you sure you and Corywouldn't feel better stayinghere?

PETERWe're fine. Really. Don'tworry.

HILDEI'm your mother. I get paid toworry.

She reaches through Peter's open window and depresseshis door lock.

PETER(a smile)

Good night.

Max and Hilde walk to the house. Peter watches untilthey're inside before he begins backing from thedriveway. Spotting a set of taillights approachingrapidly along the curb, he stomps on the brakes. Just

short of the driveway the other car, a dark Mercedes,stops as well. Peter waits. There's room for theMercedes to back safely past. It doesn't.

PETERCome on. Come on.

(calling out window)Go.

But the Mercedes' lights go off. Exasperated, Peterresumes backing from the driveway. But just as he comesin line with the Mercedes, it reverses again.

PETER(shouting)

No! -- No! -- Watch where you'regoing! You're going to --

Laying on his HORN, Peter steps on his accelerator.There's no time. The Mercedes crunches against Peter'sfront fender.

(CONTINUED)


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13.

CONTINUED:

PETER(disbelieving)

He hit me.

Peter climbs out as the Mercedes pulls forward. Maxappears.

MAX(calls)

Careful -- kid's probably drunk.

Peter approaches the driver's door. The Mercedes againpulls forward. Peter pursues -- but whenever he getsclose, the Mercedes pulls further ahead. Not running.Just playing with him. Cat and mouse.

PETERHey! Hey! You hit my car!

Now he breaks into a jog, trotting alongside the car asit rolls forward. He reaches for the door handle.

PETERYou're in no condition --

The car's interior light snaps on and the driver isilluminated. This is no drunk teenager. He's in hislate 80s, exceedingly tall and gaunt, clad in black, askeleton with skin. MUELLER. For an instant he gazesinto Peter's eyes, his face lit with perverse delight.Peter's grip on the door handle falters. With a DIESELGROWL, the Mercedes pulls away. Peter sprints back to

his own car.

MAXPeter -- Don't! --

But Peter jumps inside and sets off in pursuit.

INT. VOLVO - NIGHT

Eyes focused on the distant Mercedes, Peter accelerateslike a maniac.

EXT. INTERSECTION IN DOWNTOWN GUNZBURG - NIGHT

The Mercedes catches the tail end of a yellow light.Seconds later Peter arrives to find the signal red andthe intersection full of cross traffic. As soon as itclears, Peter gives chase.


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EXT. EDGE OF TOWN - NIGHT

The Mercedes flashes past a manufacturing plant on theoutskirts of Gunzburg. On one wall of the factoryappears the company name in huge lighted letters:"M E N G E L E."

EXT. DENSELY WOODED HIGHWAY - NIGHT

The Volvo races beneath the towering evergreens as theMercedes' lights disappear around a bend.

EXT./INT. VOLVO

Peter navigates the curve and looks ahead. Thetaillights have vanished.

IN AN UNSEEN TURN-OUT

The MERCEDES IDLES, lights off. As Peter's Volvo passeson the main road, the Mercedes' headlights snap back on,illuminating a muddy, rutted path into the forest. TheMercedes starts up the path. Peter veers onto theshoulder, pulls a U and comes racing back to the turn-out, sloshing off-road, tires throwing mud... until hiscar slews to one side and sinks to a halt, up to itsaxles in mud.

INT. VOLVO

Peter pounds the wheel in frustration, watchinghelplessly as the Mercedes disappears over a ridge.

ON PATH

Flashlight in hand, Peter picks his way up the incline.He draws to a halt at the top, his way obstructed by amass of barbed wire. Switching off his light, he takesin the wide clearing below. On the far side of theclearing a light glows from behind a low building.

IN CLEARING

Peter slogs through the maze of twisted gates and barbedwire pens, moving steadily toward the backlit building.

MERCEDES

stands dark and quiet. Peter peers inside. Turns fromthe Mercedes to the dark building. A wooden chuteslopes up into its dismal maw. Light comes from within.Grasping the side rails of the rotting chute, Peterhoists himself upward.


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INT. DARK BUILDING

Huge freezer doors stand ajar. Meat hooks dangle. Andon the far side of this abandoned slaughterhouse, agaping freight door opens onto a long platform.

It is from somewhere on this platform that the lightcomes; in that light, indistinct shadows move. Petereases toward the doorway. He arrives to the sound ofMUTED LAUGHTER, followed by a sudden CRACKING, like theSPLINTERING OF BONES. He freezes, holding his breath.Waits. And waits. And waits. Then, summoning courage,he steps outside.

EXT. FREIGHT PLATFORM - NIGHT

Peter stares into the light, unsure what to make of whathe's seeing, his held breath slowly expelled. Beforehim, regally attired and seated at a small table spreadwith a linen cloth and set with silver service for two,is Mueller. A single parlor lamp shines over hisshoulder. He's eating crab, CRACKING the SHELLS withgusto, bent over a thick stack of papers which he readsas he eats. Peter searches the shadows for dangerbefore stepping cautiously into the light. Muellercackles at something he's read.

MUELLEROh yes, well put.

And finally he looks up, off-handedly, as if welcomingan old friend.

MUELLER

Peter. Good of you to come.(gestures to theempty seat)

Hungry?

Peter stands his ground.

PETERWho are you?

MUELLER(with relish)

I, Peter, am a cheat. And a

liar. A highly-paid perverter oflaw in the service of outlaws.

PETER(flat)

You're an attorney.

(CONTINUED)


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CONTINUED:

MUELLER(his smile)

Like you.(then, as if it'sa significantconcession)

You may call me Schmidt. Willthat be acceptable? Or maybeMueller. It's a good German nameand less common than Schmidt.Would you like to call meMueller?

PETERIs that your name?

MUELLERIs that my name? You make itsound so simple.

Mueller smiles as if at a child then turns back to thepapers.

MUELLER'27 October, 1982. Dear FrauHoltz, I have not yet receivedany reply to my numerous requestsfor an interview. However, Iremain eager to discuss with youyour former classmate -- '

Here he breaks off, sets the page aside and reads from

another.

MUELLER'... Eager to discuss with youyour former neighbor...'

(and another)'... Your former student...'

(and another)'... Your former colleague...'Etcetera, etcetera.

He looks at Peter who has grown very cool.

MUELLERI have dozens of letters likethese, received by people allacross Germany over a span of 15years, yet always inquiring aboutthe same man. Always seekinginformation about...

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)


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CONTINUED:

MUELLER (CONT'D)(shrugs noncommittally)

... a certain local celebrity. Ahero of the last war.

(lets that lie; then)They all bear the signature of aman named Viktor Kohl.

Peter remains silent. The old man's gaze drops toPeter's untouched plate.

MUELLERAre you sure you won't eatsomething?

When Peter makes no response, Mueller takes the plateand dumps its contents onto his own. He eatsravenously.

MUELLERThe letters bore as a returnaddress the number of a post boxhere in Gunzburg. I came toGunzburg to find Herr Kohl andask him the reason for hisinterest... but the mystery onlydeepened.

From beyond the circle of light comes an indistinctCREAK. Peter's eyes snap toward the sound.

MUELLER

I found there was no Viktor Kohl.The name was a pseudonym -- afiction.

(pause)Who was he, Peter? And why washe hiding behind a falsehood?

Another CREAK, as if someone has stepped on a looseboard. Peter's eyes search the shadows.

MUELLERWas he an enemy... or a secretfriend? Or was he neither?

Perhaps he was simply...confused... uncertain where histrue sympathies lay.

Peter bristles.

(CONTINUED)


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CONTINUED:

MUELLEROf course all this remainedpurely speculative until... veryrecently.

(savors a bite)Oh, this... this is delicious.

And, when he's good and ready, he slides his stack ofletters aside to reveal a fat manilla folder.

MUELLEREarlier today, in a home inGunzburg, this file wasdiscovered. And in the file --copies of every one of ViktorKohl's letters.

He holds Peter in his unflagging gaze, a shark's smilespreading slowly across his face.

MUELLERPeter, are you Viktor Kohl?

PETER(right back)

Are you Josef Mengele?

Mueller laughs. And laughs.

MUELLERYou let your imagination run awaywith you. The good doctor

drowned years ago. They have hisbones, you know.

The laughter subsides. Mueller's gaze darkens.

MUELLERWhy so many questions, Peter?Why this obsession with thingspast?

His gaze bores into Peter, as if he is in some wayassessing the man's worth. Though Peter makes noanswer, Mueller nods.

MUELLEROh yes. You'll do.

(extends his right armin a sloppy salute)

Heil Hitler.

Mueller reaches casually to the lamp and switches itoff, plunging the scene into darkness.

(CONTINUED)


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19.

CONTINUED:

The SOUND of SUDDEN MOVEMENT. Peter's flashlight clickson and finds Mueller's chair, now empty, then redirects,moving toward the lamp. Just as it arrives, there's aSHARP BLOW. A GASP. The flashlight drops to theplatform. Then the flashlight is switched off.

BLACK SCREEN

The absolute silence of death. Seconds pass. ThenBARELY AUDIBLE SOUNDS in the distance. Perhaps voices.And then, with the suddenness of an onrushinglocomotive, the darkness comes alive with sound:VOICES, LAUGHTER, PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCEMENTS, all ontop of one another, all too loud and somehow grating.Among the sounds:

AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.)Lufthansa announces the immediatedeparture of flight 964. Finalboarding is now underway at Gate15.

A VOICE (V.O.)Medical transport this wayplease.

SECOND VOICE (V.O.)Tickets.

THRID VOICE (V.O.)I'll need the patient's passport.

SLOW FADE IN:

SERIES OF DISTORTED IMAGES

Light overtakes darkness. All is shrouded in thick fog,as if viewed through a film of Vaseline. Movement. Theinterior of an airliner. A stewardess. An IV bag hangsoverhead. A glimpse of a white medical uniform. Butthen DARKNESS RETURNS as:

PILOT (V.O.)Flight attendants, prepare fordeparture.

LIGHT AGAIN. Blue sky overhead -- and the hanging IVbag. The rear door of an ambulance swings open. Ayouthful FACE appears.

THE FACEComfortable?

(CONTINUED)


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20.

CONTINUED:

A nice smile. The Face turns his attention to the IVapparatus, injecting something from a syringe.

THE FACERest now.

The world descends again INTO BLACKNESS.

INT. ROHM KITCHEN - CORY

sits in a straight-backed chair, red-rimmed eyes gazingvaguely ahead.

OFFICIOUS VOICE (O.S.)Frau Rohm?

At length her eyes focus.

CORYHave you talked to everyone atthat party? Did you get a list?

OFFICIOUS VOICE (O.S.)We're working on it.

She's battling an almost irresistible urge to wildpanic.

CORYAre they all accounted for? Didany of them own a dark-coloredMercedes?

OFFICIOUS VOICE (O.S.)We're checking.

(then)Tell me about the missing file.What was the purpose of yourhusband's research?

CORY(a distinctly unhappymemory)

He was going to write a book.

At a DISTURBANCE outside, Cory looks off sharply.

EXT. ROHM HOUSE - NIGHT

Cory rushes out. Two police officers are excitedlyraising the garage door. They shine flashlights inside,illuminating Peter's Volvo -- the same car he abandonedstuck up to its axles in mud. It now rests in thegarage, spotless, parked right where it belongs. Coryruns toward the car.

(CONTINUED)


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21.

CONTINUED:

CORYPeter?!!!

But one of the officers turns from the car, shaking hishead negatively.

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN:

INSIDE A CRAMPED, BEIGE CUBICLE

A peculiar little room, not much bigger than a closet,viewed from an odd, CANTED ANGLE. MUSIC is vaguelyaudible in the distance, possibly an opera. Above, abare bulb protrudes from an undecorated wall. To theside, a sink and bathtub.

REVERSE TO:

INT. BATHROOM - PETER

Slumped like dirty laundry atop the commode, his headresting cock-eyed on the toilet paper dispenser.There's a nasty scrape above one eye. He squintsgroggily, lifts his head and winces. Finding a cottonball taped to the back of his hand, he rips it away,examining a pinprick on the skin beneath. Then,staggered by a wave of nausea, he turns, groping toraise the toilet lid, and hangs there panting...homicide on his mind.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

INT. BATHROOM - SOME TIME LATER

Peter rises unsteadily to gaze into a mirror. Hesteadies himself on rubber legs, gingerly touching thescrape above his eye. Moans.

INT. NARROW HALLWAY

The MUSIC is LOUDER here. Definitely opera. Somethingby Wagner. Peter sways down the passage into the mainroom of a simple house, where he turns an ungracefulfull circle, taking in the austere furnishings. Theonly concession to luxury is a modest STEREO SYSTEMagainst one wall, the source of the opera. The room isin perfect order.

(CONTINUED)


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22.

CONTINUED:

PETERHello?

His gaze fixes on the front door.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - FRONT PORCH - DAY

A postcard-perfect scene. Rich green pasture land risesto meet a soaring range of glaciered mountains. Agravel road passes before the house and stretches away,empty as far as the eye can see.

PETERHello?

INT. FARMHOUSE

Peter moves shakily to a stack of journals on a table,grabs the top one: "JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OFONCOLOGISTS." Beneath it is another journal, titled inSpanish. Another in German. He moves into an austerekitchen. He throws open cabinets and drawers, riflingthem, looking for some clue to his whereabouts. Hefinds nothing. He pauses, OPERA BUILDING, his eyeswandering...

He fills a glass at the kitchen sink. It slips from hisunsteady grip and SHATTERS, soaking a countertoptelephone and the directory beside it. The cover of thephone book catches his eye. He grabs the book. Acowboy is pictured atop a bucking bronc. Emblazonedacross the photo: CALGARY, ALBERTA.

ON PETER

Stunned.

PETERCanada?

He sags against the counter, overwhelmed with nausea,pain and confusion.

The OPERA has become UNBEARABLY LOUD. Peter lurchestoward the stereo. He punches buttons. The MUSIC

CONTINUES. He punches more buttons but the music won'tstop. With a burst of anger he overturns the stereo,bringing the OPERA to an ABRUPT END. Breathless, heslides to the floor. Sweet silence.

Out of the silence comes a sound. A HORSE'S WHINNY.Then another WHINNY and a MAN'S VOICE.

SUDDEN CLOSE ANGLE ON PETER

His eyes fly open.


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23.

EXT. FARMHOUSE

Peter weaves onto the back porch. In a stall builtagainst the outside of a barn a mare paces in agitation.Shadowing her is a wobbly-legged foal. Peter warilyapproaches. The MARE WHINNIES. From inside the barncomes the voice of an old man, soothing and almostmusical.

BAUMGARTEN (O.S.)Easy, my mare. Easy.

Through a window, movement catches Peter's eye. Hemoves closer to see:

THROUGH WINDOW

Aged hands fill a syringe.

PETER

moves to get a more complete view, but a water troughblocks his way. The hands disappear from the window.The MARE SNORTS and WHINNIES. Peter eases back towardher.

BAUMGARTEN (O.S.)(ever calming)

Be still, mare. Be still now.

The voice comes from the stall. Peter tries to get alook, but the mare obscures his view. Only the man'stall boots can be seen.

BAUMGARTEN (O.S.)Easy, girl... I won't hurt you.

Peter climbs the rail fence surrounding the stall.

BAUMGARTEN (O.S.)Baby's hungry. We need to getyour milk going.

With difficulty, Peter reaches the top of the fence. Heteeters, fighting for balance. A losing battle.

INSIDE STALL

Peter lands heavily in the dirt. At the sound, the foalskitters away. And suddenly he's seen:

HEINZ BAUMGARTEN, in his eighties, dressed in simplework clothes and those tall boots, at the mare's flank,in the process of injecting her with the syringe. Instark contrast to the sinister Mueller, Baumgartenappears grandfatherly and utterly benign.

(CONTINUED)


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25.

CONTINUED:

Baumgarten cranks off the faucets and replaces the serumbottles and needles in the medical bag.

PETER(all he can muster)

Why... why are you...?

Baumgarten stops his work and turns his full attentionto Peter, exceedingly earnest.

BAUMGARTENPeter -- my friend -- I can'ttell you how long I've wanted tobring you here. As my guest.All your letters. Yourquestions. I longed to answer.

(beat)Please believe this was the onlyway.

Baumgarten's words carry a peculiar seductive power, andin his befuddled condition, Peter fights their effectwith difficulty.

BAUMGARTENYou searched for years, preparingto write the definitive volume onJosef Mengele. But you werenever able to write it. Why?What questions couldn't youanswer?...

(then)

Ask them now.

Baumgarten reaches inside his jacket and extracts anairline ticket folder and a passport.

BAUMGARTENOr, if you're persuaded I'm aliar... or a madman...

He places the ticket and passport on the counter betweenthem.

BAUMGARTEN

... Of course you're free to go.

Peter stares at the ticket.

PETERAfter all you did to get mehere... you'll let me go? Justlike that?

(CONTINUED)


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26.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENIs that what you want?

Peter regards Baumgarten... then the ticket.

EXT. ROADSIDE - DUSK

Peter stands at the side of the road, clutching passportand ticket. Baumgarten watches from his porch,completely unruffled. A taxi pulls to a stop. Peterturns back for one last, bewildered look at Baumgartenthen ducks into the cab. Baumgarten placidly watcheshis departure.

INT. TORONTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - NIGHT

Glass doors part to admit Peter who surveys the busyterminal and heads toward a bank of phones.

INT. ROHM HOUSE - MORNING

It's daylight in Gunzburg, and Cory, looking drawn, issetting the breakfast table when, in another room, thePHONE begins to RING. She stiffens as Hilde answers.

HILDE (O.S.)Rohm house.

A moment, then a GASP.

HILDE (O.S.)Peter!!!

Cory races from the room.

INT. HALLWAY

Hilde beams at Cory.

HILDEIt's him.

Cory tears the phone from Hilde's hands, 36 hours ofsuppressed terror exploding in a frenzied blast:

CORYPeter?! Where are you?! Wherehave you been?! ARE YOUALIVE?!!!

INT. TORONTO AIRPORT - NIGHT

At the sound of Cory's voice, all of Peter's weariness,tension and confusion unravel... and he begins to laugh.

(CONTINUED)


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27.

CONTINUED:

PETERYes.

And, in spite of himself, all he can do is hold thephone and laugh.

PETERYes.

INT. AIR CANADA JETLINER - IN FLIGHT - MORNING

Peter sleeps in the window seat, blanket drawn looselyaround him. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT collects an empty coffeecup. Beat. Someone passes on the way to the lavatory.Beat. A male passenger, too close to be seen in full,pauses near the sleeping Peter, then slips into theempty seat. Beat. The man takes hold of Peter'sblanket, pulling it up, the better to cover him.

P.A. (V.O.)In preparation for our landing inBerlin the captain has turned onthe no-smoking sign. Pleasereturn your seats and tray tablesto their full upright position.

The Flight Attendant taps Peter's arm.

FLIGHT ATTENDANTSir? We're about to land.

She moves off as Peter comes to consciousness and

dutifully raises his seat back and closes the traytable. And finally, still a little bleary, he noticesthe man seated beside him:

BAUMGARTEN

Dressed in a simple but immaculate suit.

BAUMGARTENYou missed the sunrise overIceland... unspeakably beautiful.

Peter jolts fully awake. For the first time facing this

man with his faculties intact.

BAUMGARTENTell me, Peter. The notion thata man should be consideredinnocent until proven guilty, doyou accept it?

(CONTINUED)


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28.

CONTINUED:

PETER(flabbergasted)

What are you --

BAUMGARTENInnocent until proven guilty --do you accept it?

PETEROf course I accept it. Why areyou here?

BAUMGARTENAnd this man Mengele -- what doyou think of him?

Peter looks at Baumgarten as at a crazy man. But hisanswer is immediate.

PETERWhat do I think of a doctor whobutchered hundreds of thousands?I think he's burning in hell.

BAUMGARTENYou condemn him... though nocourt convicted him.

PETERNo court had the chance. Or everwill.

(pointedly)

Because he's dead. I've studiedthe remains myself.

Baumgarten is unflappable, his tone mildlycondescending.

BAUMGARTENYou've studied the remains. Areyou a forensic scientist, Peter?

PETERI'm an attorney. I know how toevaluate evidence.

BAUMGARTENThen evaluate the evidence beforeyour eyes!

PETERWhat evidence? An old man with adoctor's bag?

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)


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29.

CONTINUED:

PETER (CONT'D)(then)

When I first heard that Mengele'sgrave had been found I refused tobelieve it. It was unthinkablethat the Butcher of Auschwitz hadescaped justice. I checked everyshred of evidence, determined tofind the mistake.

(shakes his head)But there was no mistake. Theevidence was absolute. Absolute.

(a burning look)So stay the hell away from me.

INT. JETWAY - DAY

The first passenger off the plane, Peter strides up thejetway, distancing himself from the madman behind.CAMERA MOVES WITH him as he emerges into:

INT. BERLIN AIR TERMINAL - DAY

He's blinded by the glare of intense lights. A voicecries out:

VOICE (O.S.)There's the attorney!

A jumble of television lights, cameras and microphonesextends toward him. Voices shout questions. There's afleeting glimpse of the predatory Mueller. Then

Hillmann, frantic, emerges from the crowd.

HILLMANNPeter, I got your fax.

PETER... What fax? Didn't you talk toCory?

And then her voice, almost lost in the din:

CORY (O.S.)Peter!

PETER(straining to find her)

Cory?!

Separated from him by the phalanx of reporters, shestruggles to get through. But the reporters go wildwith cries of: "There he is!" "Is that him?" "Willyou talk to us?" Peter's up on his toes, trying to keepCory in sight, when a hand fastens firmly around hiselbow. He whips a look to his side to see:


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30.

BAUMGARTEN

He holds Peter in a surprisingly strong grip and stepsforward with Peter involuntarily at his side.Baumgarten smiles shyly and speaks into the outstretchedmicrophones:

BAUMGARTENThank you. I...

(waits as the crowdfalls silent)

As you know, I am Doctor JosefMengele.

The press erupts in a torrent of questions. Baumgartenturns to Peter and declares over it all:

BAUMGARTENAnd this good man, HerrPeter Rohm -- has agreed torepresent me at trial.

Peter goes white. He shouts to the press:

PETERNo, that's a lie -- I AM NOT THISMAN'S ATTORNEY -- I AM NOT --

Men wearing the crisp uniform of the German FederalPolice move in fast, led by Federal Prosecutor HORSTVOIGT, a big, gruff man in his 50s.

VOIGTWhat are you doing in the middle

of this, Rohm?

PETERNo, Horst, I had nothing to do --

But the federal officers surround Peter and Baumgartenand sweep them side by side through what has turned intoa near-riot. Peter struggles vainly to separate himselffrom Baumgarten, his eyes searching wildly for Cory.

EXT. BERLIN AIRPORT TERMINAL - DAY

Peter is stuffed into a dark Mercedes sedan. Baumgarten

is pushed into another, a heavy armored limo with black-out windows. The cars pull away.

INT. MERCEDES - DAY

Peter's sandwiched in back between two officers, furiousat his predicament. Up front, Voigt flips brisklythrough:

(CONTINUED)


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31.

CONTINUED:

VOIGTArgentine passport dated 1956, inthe name of Josef Mengele.Paraguayan passport dated 1959,issued to 'Jose' Mengele. Labnotes from Auschwitz bearingMengele's signature.

(looks to Peter)This package didn't come fromyou?

PETERI've never seen those documentsin my life.

VOIGT(waves fax)

And I don't suppose it was youwho notified the press.

PETERHorst, I was kidnapped!

EXT. BERLIN STREETS - DAY

The speeding convoy turns into a large universityhospital near the city's center. Men spill from thecars, whisking Baumgarten into the building. Peterpauses at the car door, laying a hand on Voigt's arm.

PETERPlease, Horst -- All the times

we've faced off in court... Igive you my word: Whatever gamethat old man's playing, I'm nopart of it.

(his plea)Send me home.

VOIGTDid you miss that little show atthe airport? Whether you know itor not, you are a part of it.And until I prove Baumgarten's afraud, neither of you is going

anywhere.

Two formidable officers move in on either side of Peter.OVER this, the monotone of an interrogator:

INTERROGATOR (V.O.)State your true name.


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32.

INT. HOSPITAL CONFERENCE ROOM

Baumgarten sits before a roomful of investigators as theuninspired INTERROGATOR reads from a list of questions.Peter and Voigt listen from the rear of the room.

BAUMGARTENMy name is Josef Mengele.

INTERROGATORState your father's name.

BAUMGARTENKarl Mengele.

INTERROGATORMother's name.

BAUMGARTENWalburga Mengele.

Baumgarten answers easily.

INTERROGATORThe name of your first wife.

BAUMGARTENSchoenbein. Irene Schoenbein.My family didn't care for her.Too Protestant. Too... strong-willed.

Baumgarten smiles at the memory. Convincingly authenticas an aging gentleman reminiscing about a lost love.

Peter applauds, slow and loud, impossible to ignore.

PETERCongratulations. A-plus. Youdid your homework.

The attention of the entire room turns to him.

VOIGTIf you have something to say,Rohm, say it.

PETER

Of course he knows the answers.What did you expect? We're notdealing with children.

VOIGTOh? Who are we dealing with?

(CONTINUED)


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CONTINUED:

PETERWho benefits by opening these oldwounds, by putting Germany at warwith itself? Old Communists fromthe East? Old fascists? Newfascists? Look out the window,Horst. There's someone out there-- using us.

VOIGTWho? Tell me. Who?

PETERAny of a hundred groups. I don'tknow. I only know that's thequestion we should be asking --not the name of Josef Mengele'smother.

Voigt is thoughtful.

VOIGTWe must tread carefully here.Serious allegations have beenmade. This investigation mustpursue all avenues until we findirrefutable proof that this manis a fraud.

PETERWe already have proof -- the DNA,the dental records, the bones --

Baumgarten breaks in, his voice clear and commanding.

BAUMGARTENThe bones, as you call them,belonged to my cousin GerhardSladkey. He drowned whileswimming in Brazil.

(beat)He was similar to me inappearance.

PETER

Similar? Same height, samedental records... same DNA?

Baumgarten reaches inside his suit coat and extracts ayellowed envelope.

(CONTINUED)


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35.

CONTINUED:

PETERA man of compassion who mutilatedwomen and cut children to pieces.

BAUMGARTENIs a surgeon a butcher because hecuts with a knife? Because hefinds a diseased limb and removesit to save the whole body?

(fiercely)That isn't butchery, that'smedicine.

Peter's eyes narrow infinitesimally.

INT. UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL - SERIES OF QUICK SCENES

A) Baumgarten lies on his back as technicians positionan X-ray apparatus above him.

B) A technician positions calipers alongsideBaumgarten's skull, measuring the span between histemples.

C) A brigade of INVESTIGATORS works a bank of phones.

RED-HAIRED INVESTIGATORBaumgarten, right. What date doyou show him entering thecountry?

SECOND INVESTIGATOR

Everything we know. Bring everylast file. I've already spokento the ambassador.

D) A team of photographers positions Baumgarten. Astrobe flashes.

INT. A SMALL, MURKILY-LIT ROOM - NIGHT

His cadaverous face in shadow, Mueller gazes atsomething or someone unseen. He extracts a cigaretteand lights it, inhaling deeply.

VOIGTWell?

Another long drag on the cigarette.

MUELLERWelcome home, Herr Doctor.

Mueller bares his yellowed teeth.

FAST CUT TO:


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37.

CONTINUED:

PETERBaumgarten madness. And Voigt istaking it all seriously.

(his frustration)All they need is one discrepancy-- one tiny detail that doesn'tmatch.

Which gives her pause.

CORYAnd what if... what if they can'tfind anything?

PETERThey will. And then we're goinghome.

Frau Meissner steps from the room, in her eyes theterror of having seen a ghost.

FRAU MEISSNERNo, no. No, no, no.

VOIGT(emerging behind her)

Frau Meissner --

FRAU MEISSNERThat man is not our Josef!

She flees down the hall, leaving Cory profoundly

unnerved.

EXT. MINISTRY OF JUSTICE - MORNING

A convoy moves with police escort through the historicgovernment district to the Justice Ministry. Baumgartenis moved under heavy guard into the building. Voigtsupervises, ignoring the shouting Reporters.

REPORTERS(overlapping)

Herr Voigt, over here!/It's beena week -- why the delay?/Is it

true a decision will be madetoday?

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY - CONFERENCE ROOM - LATER

Dozens of experts around a long table, at the head ofwhich stands Voigt. Photographs of two handwrittendocuments are projected on a large screen.

(CONTINUED)


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38.

CONTINUED:

BRITISH ANALYST... Note the minor differences inloop width, here and here --noticeable yet consistent withthe normal evolution over time ofan individual's --

VOIGTProfessor, please. Yourconclusion.

BRITISH ANALYST(a beat)

If this is a forgery, it's thebest we've ever seen.

Voigt turns to another of the assembled.

VOIGTDNA?

GENETICISTWe have no genetic sample fromMengele himself. Period. Sowe're forced to rely onrelatives. All we can say isthat the subject is related insome way to the Mengele family --with a genetic match roughlycomparable to that of the Emburemains.

A beat.

VOIGTDental records.

ANOTHER EXPERTWe're still checking but so farhis story about the cousin holds.

VOIGTProfessor Krill.

The screen behind Voigt lights up with two new

photographs, one of Josef Mengele as a fresh young SScaptain, the other a current likeness of HeinzBaumgarten.

KRILLThe purpose of this exercise isto compare measurements takenbetween fixed points on eachface, looking of course for anydetectable differences.

(CONTINUED)


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39.

CONTINUED:

VOIGTAnd what differences did youdetect?

KRILLWell, of course I didn't detectany or we'd all be home now,wouldn't we?

(then)Watch this.

A ghostly X-ray image of a skull separates from thephoto of Baumgarten and glides into the space betweenthe photos.

KRILLAn X-ray of Baumgarten's skull...Now we overlay it.

The X-ray image floats toward the youthful photo ofMengele, overlapping until it achieves a perfect match.Peter stares at the screen.

VOIGTWe launched this investigationbelieving it would last fewerthan 24 hours. And yet one weeklater -- here we are.

(a beat)In the face of the evidence we'veseen, can any one of you make apersuasive case that Heinz

Baumgarten is not in fact JosefMengele?

Silence.

VOIGTA decision must be taken. We trythis man as Mengele or we let himgo.

ANOTHER VOICEHerr Prosecutor, please, we'removing too fast.

AND ANOTHERWhat about the Embu remains? Theevidence for Baumgarten is nobetter than the evidence for thebones.

VOIGTNo better -- but also no worse?

(CONTINUED)


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40.

CONTINUED:

A reluctant MURMUR of ASSENT.

VOIGTThen I ask you: what choice dowe have?

Peter sits stock still, unblinking, his imaginationablaze.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY CORRIDORS - MOMENTS LATER

Voigt leads a troop of officials to a guarded, unmarkeddoor.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY - SMALL ROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Baumgarten looks up as the door is thrown open andofficials flood in. He rises, eyes dancing withanticipation.

VOIGTHauptsturmfuhrer Josef Mengele?

BAUMGARTEN(crisply)

Yes.

VOIGTIt is my duty to place you underarrest for war crimes, for crimesagainst minorities, and forcrimes against humanity.

Handcuffs are snapped into place. Baumgarten, greatlysatisfied, surveys the crowd... looking for someone whoisn't there. He's whisked from the room.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY

Moving under heavy guard.

BAUMGARTENWhere is Peter Rohm?

The company descends a staircase.

BAUMGARTENPeter Rohm -- where is he? Hashe been released?

They move through another corridor, stopping before asteel-reinforced door.

(CONTINUED)


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41.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENI demand to see my attorney.

The door is unlocked and he's led into:

INT. HOLDING CELL

Where he's uncuffed. Before he realizes what'shappening, the officials withdraw and lock the door,leaving Baumgarten disoriented in the shadowed cell. Hepounds the door and rages:

BAUMGARTENI WANT MY ATTORNEY!!! GET MEPETER ROHM!!!

Baumgarten falls back from the door. For the firsttime, he looks old and tired and perhaps a little bitfrightened. And that's when Peter steps from theshadows.

PETERI'm not your attorney.

(beat)I've been released. I'm leavingBerlin.

Recovering his equilibrium with astounding speed,Baumgarten turns.

BAUMGARTENHow nice for you. Why are you

still here?

PETERI'd like an answer before I go.Why me?

Baumgarten considers.

BAUMGARTENI like my question better.

Baumgarten crosses to a simple bed where he removes hissuit coat and folds it with precision.

BAUMGARTENYou're a starved fish, Peter.Circling the worm. Longing tobite but terrified that insideyou'll find a hook. Am I JosefMengele... or am I not? Youdon't know.

(CONTINUED)


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42.

CONTINUED:

Peter turns for the door. Calls.

PETERGuard!

BAUMGARTENAnd if I am Mengele, what then?Will you swim away, little fish?

(right at Peter)You're incapable of it or you'dbe gone already.

Peter turns back. Outraged.

PETERYou broke into my home, youkidnapped me, you slandered me infront of the world.

Baumgarten steps to an exposed toilet where he tears offa length of toilet paper and folds it into a neat pad.

BAUMGARTENI'm a sick old man. I donothing.

Baumgarten dampens the pad of toilet paper and beginspolishing his shoe. Peter raps loudly on the door.

PETERGuard!

The door opens.

BAUMGARTENWhy you, Peter?

Peter waits.

BAUMGARTENBecause you're Germany's mosteminent attorney? Not at all.Did you think I needed you to --what -- defend me?

(emphatic)

I don't want it. You hear me? Iwant no defense.

Peter waves the guard off. The door closes.

PETERWhy then?

(CONTINUED)


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43.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENYou were selected for one reasononly. You're known to be thatrarest of creatures. An honestman.

Finished with the first shoe, Baumgarten polishes theother, taking an intimate tone.

BAUMGARTENI'll tell you a secret. I'vecome to tell my story. To tellit all. Exactly what I did atAuschwitz and why. A thingthat's never been done.

He finishes the second shoe and straightens. He speakswith dazzling intensity.

BAUMGARTENHelp me, Peter. Help me tell thetruth.

PETERJosef Mengele doesn't returnafter fifty years to make aconfession.

BAUMGARTENTo tell the truth.

Baumgarten cranks on the water and vigorously washes his

hands.

PETERWhat truth? The selections? Thegassings? The butchery in thelaboratory?

BAUMGARTENThe truth!

(exuberantly)I deny nothing! I'm ashamed ofnothing!

PETERYou would take responsibility forall those crimes?

BAUMGARTENCrimes, Peter? Crimes?

He cranks off the faucets and turns, holding his wethands high like a surgeon who's just scrubbed.

(CONTINUED)


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44.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENWe'll have to see about that.

Peter is repulsed by the magnitude of this man'sperverse arrogance. He reaches for the door.

BAUMGARTENNaturally you have a great dealto consider. So many loved ones.You don't want to bring harm toany of them.

Peter's jaw tightens.

PETERWhat are you saying?

BAUMGARTENOnly that you have a great dealto consider.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY ELEVATOR

Quitting time. The elevator descends, packed withdeparting workers. At the rear of the elevator standsPeter, bone tired and shaken to his core.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY - GROUND FLOOR LOBBY

The elevator doors slide open and passengers exit.Peter is the last to step into the lobby. A woman'sarms encircle him.

CORYPeter.

He wraps her in a fierce embrace.

CORYOh, thank God. They really letyou go.

He pulls her toward the door.

PETER

Let's get out of here.

CORYPeter. We need to call home.

He sees her face. Stops. Something's wrong.

CORYYour mother called. They can'tfind your niece Kat.

(CONTINUED)


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45.

CONTINUED:

Peter's blood freezes.

PETERLittle Kat?

He reaches for his cell phone.

CORYShe and the boys were at thesoccer field. They all ran homebut Kat never got there.

PETER(dialing)

How long ago was this?

CORYI don't know, a couple of hours.When I talked to your mother,they were checking with friends.

INT. MAX AND HILDE'S HOUSE - DAY

Max picks up the RINGING PHONE.

MAXRohm house.

A police officer crosses the room behind him.

MAXPeter!

(and)No, no, false alarm. Everythinghere is wonderful.

FOLLOW the police officer TO the next room where Peter'ssister clutches 5-year-old Kat.

MAXShe's back... No, it was stupid,really. She got lost on the wayhome and a young man helped her.He drove her around until she sawa house she knew. Ja. Brought

her right to our door.

The officer speaks to Hilde. She signs a paper.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY LOBBY

Peter hangs up. Tells Cory:

(CONTINUED)


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46.

CONTINUED:

PETERShe's fine. She's home. It wasnothing, completely innocent.

Words he has difficulty believing.

EXT. JUSTICE MINISTRY - DAY

News crews press in around Peter, shouting questions ashe and Cory exit. Ignoring them, he pushes forward. Inthe street a car passes, the young men inside shouting,hooting and waving an Imperial German flag. Peter turnsback to gaze darkly at the upper floors of the oldbuilding. Wondering. He finally allows Cory to pullhim away.

INT. BERLIN AIR TERMINAL - AFTERNOON

Peter and Cory move in a line of passengers through theairport security check. Peter's quiet, his mood dark.Cory watches him uncertainly.

CORYI was afraid you would decide tostay.

PETER(beat)

Why would I do that?

CORYTo do what you've always talked

about. Find out what turned ourneighbor into a butcher.

Peter says nothing.

CORYPeter -- if that man is Mengele,he was our neighbor by accident.He has no connection to us.

PETERI keep trying to believe that.

CORYAnd now you're going home.

She kisses him on the cheek. A quick, sweet kiss fullof gratitude and relief.

INT. AIRPORT MEN'S ROOM

Peter stands at a urinal. When he finishes, he turnsand crosses to a row of sinks where a knot of men isgathering around something taped to the mirror.


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47.

INSERT - A PHOTO BLOW-UP

Peter's niece Kat. She's surrounded by a half-dozenyoung men, their faces cropped from the photo but theirarms raised in obvious Nazi salutes.

PETER

shoves through the group, rips the photo from the mirrorand studies it in fury.

INT. AIR TERMINAL

Cory looks up from a newspaper as Peter returns. Onelook tells her something is desperately wrong.

CORYWhat?

EXT. FOG-BOUND SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY FORTRESS - LATEAFTERNOON

Fog shrouds the ancient stone towers and soaringramparts. Across the road, Peter climbs from a taxi.

INT. FORTRESS GATEWAY

Official notices and warnings adorn the walls at theentrance to this federal facility. Armed police guardsswing open the giant door to admit Peter.

INT. FORTRESS - OPULENT BANQUET HALL - LATE AFTERNOON

The stone walls are hung with medieval tapestries.

Down the center of the room extends a long wooden table.Peter sits stiffly on one side, waiting, until a dooropens and guards shepherd prisoner Baumgarten in. Hesits opposite Peter. Smiles.

BAUMGARTENMiss your plane?

Peter slaps a legal pad on the table, trembling withrage.

PETER

Josef Mengele on multipleoccasions injected dye into theeyes of unsedated prisoners. Didyou inject dye into the eyes ofunsedated prisoners?

Beat. Then, as if the question had never been asked:

(CONTINUED)


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48.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENHow familiar are you with themedical habits of the Dutch?

Peter repeats, hard and cold:

PETERDid you inject dye into the eyesof unsedated prisoners?

BAUMGARTENI'll happily catalogue myexperiments for you. But it'sthe Dutch physicians we must --

PETER(overriding)

Josef Mengele kept the eyes ofdeceased prisoners pinned to aboard like butterflies. Did youkeep such a board?

Baumgarten remains genteel.

BAUMGARTENMedical studies often require thecollection of specimens. Nowplease listen. Medicine in theNetherlands --

PETERJosef Mengele personally selected

up to 400,000 men, women andchildren for death by gassing.Did you select these individualsfor death?

Baumgarten regards Peter with his own quiet fury.

BAUMGARTENI thought you wanted tounderstand.

PETERDid you select these individuals

for death?(and again)

Answer the question: Did youselect these individuals fordeath?

And finally it comes, an explosion:

(CONTINUED)


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49.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENYES, PETER! YES! I DID IT! IDID IT ALL!!! I CONFESSEVERYTHING!!!

The ferocity of the outburst silences Peter. Baumgartenstands.

BAUMGARTENWalk with me.

A faint, almost subliminal sound begins, a SLOW,THROBBING HISS.

EXT. FORTRESS PARAPET

Fog hangs thick atop the high wall where Peter walksuneasily with Baumgarten in the fading light, shadowedby a trio of guards. The HISS is louder.

BAUMGARTENDo you know, Peter, how manydoctors staffed Auschwitz?

PETERNot the exact figure. Five.Six.

BAUMGARTENThe exact figure is 22.Myself... and 21 others.

PETERHow many of those othersvolunteered for duty atAuschwitz? How many met arrivingtrains to perform selections ontheir days off? How many othersdid it sober?

BAUMGARTENMedicine is hard work. Noteveryone has the stamina.

Baumgarten turns down a narrow stairway.

EXT. INNER WARD

A courtyard within the fortress. The disquieting HISSBUILDS.

BAUMGARTENAre you familiar with the work ofKarl Bindong and Alfred Hioche?

(CONTINUED)


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50.

CONTINUED:

Peter isn't. And can't fathom its possible relevance.

BAUMGARTENPhysicians. Years before Hitler,they wrote a book they titled ThePermission to Destroy LifeUnworthy of Life

(an assignment)Read it before we meet again.

Before Peter can protest:

BAUMGARTENBindong and Hioche saw incurablepatients, suffering patients,patients whose lives had lost allmeaning. To these patients, thephysician offered nothing butprolonged misery.

They near a compact citadel at the center of the ward,the place of last defense. The RHYTHMIC HISS seems toemanate from within.

BAUMGARTENUnless -- and here is the book'sgenius -- unless the physicianabandoned the slavish pursuit oflife for life's sake and insteadgranted these patients release.

(beat)Sometimes, argued the authors,

ruled by mercy and compassion,the physician must kill.

Baumgarten reaches the entrance to the inner citadel.He turns toward Peter.

BAUMGARTENIn the days before the war,everyone in German medicineunderstood this.

Peter can't believe it.

PETERThat's your defense? Auschwitzas popular medicine? You'reinsane. I've known medicalpeople from those years who neveraccepted --

(CONTINUED)


53/135

51.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTEN(overlapping)

Oh, you've known people? Whohave you known?

PETERIndividuals of principle.Individuals inalterablyopposed --

BAUMGARTENWho?

PETER(combative)

My mother for one.

BAUMGARTENYour mother was a doctor?

PETERA nurse. At the WuerzbachChildren's Clinic in Berlin.

BAUMGARTEN(astonished)

The Wuerzbach Children'sClinic... really?

(slow, secret smile)Well ask her. I'm sure she cantell you.

With startling vitality Baumgarten shoves open the heavydoor.

INT. CITADEL - CONTINUOUS ACTION

An eerie relic filled with deep shadows. The THROBBINGHISS is much louder here. Baumgarten hastens forward.

PETER(provoked)

My mother worked for 30 years ata school for the mentallyhandicapped --contributing to

lives your book would havedismissed as meaningless.

BAUMGARTEN(a look back; caustic)

Do you think I inventedAuschwitz? Is that what youthink?

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)


54/135

52.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTEN (CONT'D)All the tissue samples Icollected -- where do you thinkthey went? Who do you thinkfunded my research?

They've arrived at a narrow stairway. Baumgartenplunges downward. The THROBBING QUICKENS.

ON STAIRWAY

Peter follows Baumgarten down. With every step, themenacing THROBBING INTENSIFIES.

PETERYou maintain that everythingMengele did at Auschwitz was afunction of mercy and compassion.

BAUMGARTENWithout exception.

PETERThe work of a dutiful physician.

BAUMGARTENYes, Peter. Yes.

PETER(hard)

Explain Greta Holtz.

Baumgarten's eyes narrow. He can't place the name.

PETERAt the railroad siding. She wasselected for gassing.

Baumgarten searches his memory.

PETERShe didn't cooperate.

Before them now, all has become utter blackness. TheHISS is now a ROAR. Peter must shout.

PETERShe wouldn't stay on the truck.Josef Mengele would remember.

Baumgarten looks up sharply. At that instant, the ROARCRESCENDOS and an enormous black mass THUNDERS out ofthe darkness, blowing dust and soot all around them -- amountainous steam locomotive scarcely an arm's lengthaway.

(CONTINUED)


55/135

53.

CONTINUED:

A string of decrepit CATTLE CARS follows. Between thecars, flashes of light are seen.

The last car passes and a grim scene is unveiled acrossthe tracks: halted on a siding, a train disgorges aprocession of ragged passengers. Shouting soldiers herdthem toward a raised platform. Atop the platform standsa young SS officer, polished cane in white-gloved hands.Josef Mengele.

Peter and Baumgarten remain visible in f.g. aspassengers are made to pass before Mengele, who dividesthem into two groups. The group on his left is crowdedonto open-bed trucks.

Mengele is distracted by a disturbance that has eruptedaround a young woman who resists as soldiers force heronto a truck. Once aboard, she climbs over the side anddrops back to the ground. Soldiers surround her.

PETERMengele had selected her fordeath. She resisted. He wasoutraged.

Baumgarten watches as young Mengele leaps down from hisplatform and, with the back of his white-gloved hand,strikes the woman. He shouts furiously as the soldierswrestle her back aboard the truck.

BAUMGARTEN(deeply unsettled)

Throughout my tour at Auschwitz,I never harmed anyone. I can saythis absolutely andcategorically.

The truck begins to drive away. The woman throwsherself over the side, clambers to her feet and runsblindly. Within seconds Mengele is upon her, strikingher repeatedly with his cane, brutally and withoutmercy.

At the first blow, Baumgarten turns his back.

BAUMGARTENEverything I did was done withthe utmost courtesy andprofessional concern.

The woman falls and Mengele kicks her savagely.

(CONTINUED)


56/135

54.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENSome duties required greatcourage.

When at last she lies still before him, Mengele turnsand marches back to the platform. Soldiers throw thebloodied body onto the truck.

PETERThis was medicine?

BAUMGARTEN(with mounting fervor)

Do you know what life was like atAuschwitz? Hell. A hell inwhich children and the old andweak suffered unspeakably -- withno hope for survival. A hellfrom which I offered the onlyescape.

(then)Don't be naive, Peter. Medicinewill never conquer every disease.And there will always come timeswhen caring physicians must kill.

(finally, barely awhisper)

This is the defense of JosefMengele.

Peter looks at the old man as if at Satan himself.

PETERBehold the Angel of Death.

INT. FORTRESS - MENGELE'S CELL - NIGHT

An austere, windowless accommodation of cold stone.Toilet, bed, chair and writing table. Separated by awall of bars, Peter and Mengele sit facing away from oneanother. Peter's head is down, his eyes fixed on thefloor. Mengele appears exhausted. After a lengthysilence:

MENGELE

It's terrifying, Peter, thesemorons strutting around withshaved heads and baseball bats,playing dress-up like overgrownchildren. Denying anyone died atAuschwitz. Who do they think isgoing to believe that?Imbeciles.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)


57/135

55.

CONTINUED:

MENGELE (CONT'D)(and)

So easy to manipulate. Butimpossible to control.

Mengele stands and steps to the bars.

MENGELEThe size of your family -- itputs you in an extremelydangerous position. As a father,a son, a husband -- I sympathize.

Peter never speaks.

MENGELEYou can put a police guard onevery dear one of them and thenby some tragic mix-up at thepharmacy your father receives thewrong medication for his cardiacarythmia. Simple as that.

Now Peter, full of thundering contempt, stands and facesMengele, only the bars between them.

PETERNo member of my family must everbe threatened again. Agreed?

Mengele smiles with his eyes.

MENGELEI think, Peter, you are beingdragged kicking and screamingexactly where you've alwayswanted to go.

HOLD.

EXT. BERLIN AIRPORT - NIGHT

Peter hurries from a taxi into the terminal.

INT. BERLIN AIR TERMINAL - GATE AREA - NIGHT

A flight is about to board. Cory looks like she's justbeen told the most tasteless joke of her life.

CORYPeter, be serious.

She chokes out a strangled, disbelieving laugh.

(CONTINUED)


58/135

56.

CONTINUED:

CORYYou agreed to defend JosefMengele?

PETERNot to defend him. To help himtell the absolute truth.

Cory doesn't know what to say. This is too outrageousto comprehend.

CORYI'm waiting for the punch line.

PETERThere is no punch line. This issomething I need to do.

CORYNo. NO. What you need to do isget on this plane with me and gohome.

Peter wants nothing more than to do exactly that, butall he can say is:

PETERI can't.

CORYOf course you can. Peter, youhad one foot on the plane this

afternoon. What happened?

Peter turns away. Agonizing. Turns back.

PETERDo you remember that story when Iwas nine or ten and I wentsledding and crashed into myfriend Erik's tree?

CORYOh, Peter. Not this. Not now.

PETERAnd Erik's sweet old unclecarried me inside and held me onhis lap until my parents came?And sang Christmas carols in thatawful voice, "Silent night, holynight," and I told my mother Ithought he was the kindest, mostwonderful man I'd ever met?

(CONTINUED)


59/135


60/135

58.

CONTINUED:

Peter watches her for a long moment before crossing toher. When at length he speaks, it is with a new and farmore vulnerable tone.

PETERLast summer, when your editortried to kill herself -- Do youremember what you told me then,about needing to understand why?

CORYI remember that I talked to her.I wrote about it. And I got pastit.

PETERBut what if -- what if that samesummer both your sisters hadwalked out on their families andchecked themselves intopsychiatric hospitals? And thenyou got a call that your motherhad slit her wrists?

CORY(appalled)

Peter --

PETERWouldn't you start to wonder?

(ground zero)If it could happen to you?

She catches the brokenness in his voice and turns toreally look at him. This is no idle curiosity at work,but something far more visceral, issuing from deepwithin.

CORYWhat are you saying? You'reafraid you're going to turn intosomeone like Josef Mengele?

He can't answer, but what she sees in his wide eyessoftens her.

CORYBut don't you know how crazy thatis? Nothing's like that is evergoing to happen to you.

PETERHow do you know?

(CONTINUED)


61/135

59.

CONTINUED:

CORY(hand to his cheek)

Because you are a good man.

PETERAm I?

CORYThe very best.

PETERHave you ever thought how manythousands of Germans it took togas six million Jews? Don't youthink any of those people startedout like us? How do good peoplego bad, Cory? I've thought aboutit since the day I met that kindold killer... but never...ever... have I found an answer.

(again)How do people go bad?

Peter's soul laid bare before her, Cory looks at himwith deep compassion.

PETERMaybe Josef Mengele can tell me.And maybe then I can get past it.

For the first time, Cory sees the inevitability of itall. She makes a huge and unwelcome decision, equal

parts outrage and devotion. She steps out of line.Steps to Peter.

CORYDamn you.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

The PHONE RINGS unanswered. Peter enters and hurries tothe phone.

PETERRohm here... Yes, Horst.

INTERCUT:

INT. BERLIN HOSPITAL - ICU - ON VOIGT

He's grim.

VOIGTHow serious are you about takingthis case to trial?

(CONTINUED)


62/135

60.

CONTINUED:

PETERWhy -- what's happening?

VOIGTAfter you left him tonight, theold man collapsed in his cell.They think it's a stroke.

Behind Voigt, medical personnel attend a prone patient.Federal police nearby.

PETER(disbelief)

I was just with him -- How bad ishe?

VOIGTBad. On top of the stroke itlooks like he's full of tumors.

PETERCancer?

VOIGTEverywhere but his eyeballs. Hehad to have known for months.

PETERIs he... Is he conscious? Can hetalk?

Voigt looks across the ICU to Mengele, run through with

probes and tubes, lying very still.

VOIGTRight now, he can't do much ofanything. He's drooling alittle. I'm calling because thepresiding judge was just here.We go to trial Monday morning.

PETERMonday?! Three days?!Impossible.

VOIGTWe have no choice. If we don'tstart Monday, we may not start atall.

Cory has entered behind Peter. He looks to her withunbearable heaviness.

(CONTINUED)


63/135

61.

CONTINUED:

VOIGTRohm? Are you there?

PETER(finally)

I'm here.

IN CLOUDS

White wisps in the morning blue. A TELEPHONE is DIALED.

PETER (V.O.)Yes, I'm trying to locate a Dr.Karl Gross. Is he at thisnumber?

CAMERA DESCENDS, taking in the top of a stately oldbuilding.

HILLMANN (V.O.)Dr. Heinrich Knaupt. I was toldyou might know his whereabouts.

PETER (V.O.)No, no, that's Beckmann. Dr.Julius Beckmann. B - E - C -K...

CAMERA CONTINUES its GLIDE DOWN the side of the grandstructure.

HILLMANN (V.O.)

We're interested in talking toyour grandfather.... I'm verysorry, I didn't know.

STREET NOISE SURGES as CAMERA REACHES ground level,REVEALING a scene crawling with hawkers, gawkers,protesters, press and police. SUPERIMPOSE:

CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING, BERLIN

CAMERA PUSHES FORWARD, PAST protestors holding signsthat declare "NEVER AGAIN," BETWEEN television newscrews, THROUGH a knot of tattooed thugs in leather

jackets.

PETER (V.O.)How's the patient?

(frustrated beat)Call me if there's any change.

CAMERA MOVES INTO the noisy lobby of the courthousewhere officers perform body searches on everyone whoenters.


64/135

62.

INT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - COURTROOM NO. 700 -MORNING

The gallery is packed. Cory sits near the back, ill-at-ease. Behind her sits Mueller. A contingent of armedfederal police sweeps in, followed by a medical teamtending a gurney on which lies Mengele, plugged into abattery of portable monitors, eyes open but vacant,staring down and to the left. They whisk Mengele into aglass enclosure, a compact, bulletproof intensive careunit. Looking like he hasn't slept in days, Peter turnsto Hillmann.

PETERWe have nothing, Felix. Thetrial's beginning and we havenothing.

He shoves a sheet of legal paper toward Hillmann.

PETERCheck out these names.

HILLMANNIs it any use? Every doctor whoever studied or worked with himhas died or disappeared. We'vegot to try something else.

PETERThe defendant's in a coma.Unless he wakes up... there isnothing else.

Peter stuffs the list into Hillmann's hand.

PETERGo.

Hillmann moves off. Five solemn JUDGES sweep in andtake seats behind the bench. There is no jury.

PRESIDING JUDGEOn the record in the matter ofGermany vs. Mengele, let therecord show the defendant ispresent... Herr Rohm present for

the defense... Herr Voigt forGermany.

Voigt sits with a team of assistants.

JUDGEHerr Voigt, you may proceed.

(CONTINUED)


65/135

63.

CONTINUED:

Voigt rises with assurance, his manner straightforwardand untheatrical.

VOIGTYour Honors, Germany will showthat the defendant, JosefMengele, stood at the railroadsidings of Auschwitz andknowingly selected thousands uponthousands of individuals fordeath by gassing.

(beat)That he performed fiendishexperiments unparalleled incruelty.

After each charge Voigt pauses, allowing its full weightto register. A damning cadence.

VOIGTThat he trafficked in the corpsesof his victims, dispensing bodyparts like Christmas gifts.

All attention in the courtroom is focused on the glassenclosure.

VOIGTThat he stood on the abdomens ofpregnant women causing theirfetuses to be expelled.

Cory recoils. Peter closes his eyes.

VOIGTGermany will show that nobodymade the defendant do thesethings. He did them because hewanted to, with the enthusiasm ofa man who loved his work.

Voigt's hand comes to rest atop an unmarked cardboardbox on his table.

VOIGT

Half a century has passed sincethe defendant committed hiscrimes, and most witnesses havedied. We're left with theirsworn testimony --

(pulls a yellowedfile from the box)

-- affidavits describing inhorrifying detail the crimes theysuffered.

(CONTINUED)


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64.

CONTINUED:

Voigt stuffs the file back in the box and carries it tothe glass enclosure to gaze in at the accused.

VOIGTBecause of the extraordinarycircumstances surrounding thistrial, Germany has agreed to callonly a limited number ofwitnesses. However, to dojustice to the multitude ofwitnesses and victims we'reunable to hear --

Voigt strides across the courtroom, CAMERA SWEEPING WITHhim to reveal a mountain of boxes stacked to theceiling, a staggering sight. Voigt adds his box to themound.

VOIGT-- Germany submits theirtestimony for the record.

Voigt takes his seat. The Presiding Judge looks toPeter.

PRESIDING JUDGEFor the defense?

Peter looks at the motionless defendant, the tantalizingstare, the head titled down and to the left as if hemight simply be lost in thought. Peter turns back.Impotent.

PETERNothing at this time.

PRESIDING JUDGEGermany may call its firstwitness.

INT. BERLIN HOTEL ROOM

Hillmann's bent over a telephone, papers and phone booksspread across the bed.

HILLMANN(into phone)

You have no idea where he wentafter he retired? He neverphoned, never wrote?

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - ON STAND - ESTELLE

A Frenchwoman in her sixties. Voigt stands before her.

(CONTINUED)


67/135

65.

CONTINUED:

ESTELLE(the memory vivid)

We'd been on the train six dayswhen the doors finally opened andeveryone began jumping out.Soldiers shouted at us and pushedus into line. Up ahead, anofficer was separating us intotwo groups. When we got closeenough to see this officer, I wassurprised that he was a handsomeyoung man with a kind face. I'dbeen frightened by the soldiersbut this face reassured me...

Peter looks up, stirred by something in this testimony.

ESTELLEHe was whistling... and hepointed my sister and her baby toone side and me to the other. Ispoke up and said she's my sisterand couldn't we stay together.He said my sister was going to aspecial family camp, but we'd seeone another later... I wavedgoodbye to Elisse, and theofficer started whistlingagain...

VOIGTDid you in fact ever see your

sister or niece after that?

ESTELLEOf course not. There's no recordthey ever came to Auschwitz...

VOIGTDo you know the officer's name?

ESTELLE(flat)

Mengele.

VOIGTNo further questions.

Voigt returns to his seat.

JUDGEHerr Rohm?

Peter gazes at the inert defendant.

(CONTINUED)


68/135

66.

CONTINUED:

Makes an excruciating decision. He approaches thewitness, respectful... but curious.

PETERYou said the soldiers were cruel.

ESTELLEThey had whips and were beatingpeople to make them move faster,beating even the children.

PETERDid you see Dr. Mengele beatanyone?

ESTELLENo.

PETERDid you hear him encourage thesoldiers who were doing thebeating?

ESTELLENo.

PETERDuring your encounter with Dr.Mengele at the train ramp, did hestrike you as a madman or alunatic?

ESTELLE(a beat)

Not at all.

PETERHe stood out, you said, as a kindman.

She thinks about that. Reluctant.

ESTELLEHe seemed to care about us...

Peter's eyes find Cory in the gallery. This work turnshis stomach.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - HILLMANN

On the phone, aggravated beyond words.

(CONTINUED)


69/135

67.

CONTINUED:

HILLMANNHe's your husband. You want meto believe you don't know how tocontact him?! Do you understandthat this is a criminalproceeding?

INT. COURTROOM - ANOTHER GERMAN MAN ON STAND

Seventies, a wisp of a man. Voigt's before him.

GERMAN MAN #2Mengele woke me at about two AMand ordered me to set up lightsand a phonograph. I'd barelyfinished when SS men broughthundreds of female prisoners outunder the lights. It was a coldnight, some snow on the ground,but all the women were naked.Mengele gave me a record albumand told me to play it as loud asI could.

VOIGTWhat happened when the musicstarted?

GERMAN MAN #2He made the women dance... andthen he walked among them,pointing out the most pathetic

ones. Those he pointed out weretaken to die.

NEW ANGLE

Peter with the same witness.

PETERYou said that when Dr. Mengeleexamined the women, he pointedout 'the most pathetic ones.' Doyou mean he was looking forclumsy dancers?

GERMAN MAN #2I mean he was looking for theweak ones, the sick ones, theones who couldn't keep moving.

(CONTINUED)


70/135

68.

CONTINUED:

PETERThe weak ones and the sick ones.So his selections were basedentirely on the women's physicalcondition... on medical criteria?

GERMAN MAN #2More or less.

Peter is unable to mask his own revulsion at his hideoustask.

PETERThank you.

INSIDE GLASS ENCLOSURE

Court in recess. Mengele lies propped in the bed,unchanged. Opposite him stands Peter, darkly watchingthe old man breathe. Peter squats, gets into Mengele'sline of sight, gazes intensely into his eyes, watching,wondering.

HILLMANN (O.S.)Peter --

Hillmann, energized, rushes toward him. Peter meets himoutside the enclosure.

HILLMANNI think we've got a live one --

(hands him a scrap

of paper)It was left at the hotel desk.

PETER(reading)

'Midnight tonight. Ravenstrasse122. Stand before the lion' --signed 'Beckmann.'

(mystified)Beckmann -- the professor?

HILLMANNHe's on your list. Mengele sent

him shipments of 'biologicalmaterial' from Auschwitz -- clubfeet, skeletons of hunchbacks.

Electrified, Peter gathers his papers. From the back ofthe courtroom, Mueller watches.


71/135


72/135

70.

CONTINUED:

They hurry through the tombstones to the base of thestatue. Peter shines his light around.

HILLMANN(calls)

Dr. Beckmann? Hello? Dr.Beckmann?

(checks watch)Midnight straight up. Could wehave missed him?

Peter's light has come to rest on a grave markerdirectly before the statue.

PETER(darkly)

We didn't miss him.

GRAVE MARKER

"JULIUS BECKMANN, Beloved Husband, Father, Physician,1906-1987."

BACK TO SCENE

Hillmann gives Peter a sick, betrayed look.

PETERLet's get some sleep.

They turn to go. DISEMBODIED LAUGHTER RINGS OUT. Inthe shadow of the stone lion, something moves. Peter

and Hillmann take an involuntary step backward as atall, skeletal wraith emerges.

PETERMueller. Of course.

The old attorney takes up a position directly behindBeckmann's gravestone.

MUELLER(mocking)

"Dr. Beckmann?... Dr. Beckmann?!"(smiles)

Regrettably, Dr. Beckmann is...indisposed.

Peter is furious.

PETERDo you know how much of my timeyou just wasted? We're a weekinto the trial and I havenothing.

(CONTINUED)


73/135

71.

CONTINUED:

MUELLERNothing but a big phone bill. Ohyes, I've heard all about yourfruitless search for witnesses.You call them, they call me --

(beat)It's too bad you can't chat withBeckmann. He was so fond of ourfriend.

(beat)Did you know he obtained moneyfrom the German Research Councilto build the doctor a laboratoryat Auschwitz?

PETERI know something about what hegot for his money -- the littlepackages that came in the mail...

MUELLERAnd what should he have done,thrown priceless scientificmaterial in the garbage? Forhim, it was an opportunity tounderstand human disease.Perhaps even to ease suffering.

PETER(acidly)

Will he testify to that in court?Wake up, Mueller. You're an

attorney. I need someone I canput on the stand.

MUELLERMaybe you should take yourclient's advice and recruit somenice Dutch doctors.

PETERWhat the hell can Dutch doctorstell us? They resisted the Nazimedicine -- many of them to thedeath.

MUELLERNo, Peter. Not then. Now.

Then Mueller waves it off, as if he doesn't mean to betaken seriously. He examines the grave marker.

(CONTINUED)


74/135

72.

CONTINUED:

MUELLERDid you know that even before thewar, good Dr. Beckmann lobbiedHitler for permission to extendmercy to a number of childrenunder his care?

PETER(to Hillmann; he'sheard enough)

Let's get out of here.

Peter and Hillmann start across the churchyard. Muellerallows them a few steps before dropping his bombshell.

MUELLEROf course this was before theuniversity. While he was stilldirector at Wuerzbach.

The information has its desired effect: Peter turnsback as if shot. And can't stop himself from asking:

PETERBeckmann was at Wuerzbach?

MUELLERDidn't you know?

PETER(incredulous)

The Wuerzbach Children's Clinic?

MUELLER(offhand)

He had an excellent staff. Verysupportive. Very forward-thinking.

(then)I thought you would have known...you know, because of your mother.

Peter's heart has stopped. Mueller smiles his smile.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - DEAD OF NIGHT

Cory's asleep. Peter lies beside her, unable to stillhis troubled thoughts. He picks up the bedside phonethen just as quickly replaces it. Agonized, he staresat the phone before lifting the receiver and dialing anumber he knows by heart.

(CONTINUED)


75/135


76/135

74.

CONTINUED:

RACHEL (CONT'D)He made us laugh... We followedto the hospital where theymeasured us, it was so strange,our noses and ears and around ourheads. And they said... Theysaid take off your dresses soUncle Pepi can look at you.

(shivers)He looked... at everything.Comparing every possible detail,looking, looking, looking.

Mengele's nurse glances at a monitor, makes a notation.No change.

RACHELWhen he finished looking, hestrapped us to examination tablesand made little marks with hispen, one on my arm and one onSarah's. He said be brave, it'sgoing to hurt a little, and hecut with a knife along the marks.Then he smeared something in thecuts. We didn't cry and he saidit made him happy that we were sobrave.

(her composure falters)That we were such good girls.

She blinks at Voigt, who waits patiently. The courtroom

is silent.

RACHELI woke up that night back in theZoo, soaked in sweat. My arm wasburning, all red and swollenaround the cut. Sarah's wasworse. We begged to see UnclePepi, to get medicine, but theysaid he was busy. We waited forthree days before he sent for us.Three days. Forever. Sarah'sfingers were black, and when he

saw that my fingers hadn'tturned, he was fascinated. Webegged him, please help us, dosomething, we had so much pain.He told us that we mustn't cry.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)


77/135

75.

CONTINUED:

RACHEL (CONT'D)(and so she doesn't)

Three days later the camp wasliberated and I never saw himagain. Until today.

(pause)Sarah died. A Russian doctortook my arm.

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - LATER

A POLISH WOMAN, 75, testifies. In the glass enclosure,the nurse is not yet aware of a new sound -- herpatient's odd WHEEZING.

POLISH WOMAN(vehemently)

He was an animal. I came toAuschwitz with two sets of twins,two sons and two daughters, andhe wanted to know how I got somany twins.

A STRANGLED COUGH from Mengele finally turns the nurse'shead. He's moved, arms askew, an IV line torn free.

POLISH WOMAN'At what age did you first makelove?' 'How many lovers did youhave beside your husband?' 'Howoften are you with a lover?'

(stands to address

Mengele directly)I have a question for you,Butcher! If you love twins somuch, why did you kill mine?!

But her rage turns to horror when the nurse moves asideto reveal that Mengele's head has turned so that he nowlooks straight back at his accuser. He coughs.

INSIDE GLASS ENCLOSURE - MOMENTS LATER

Nurse and doctor work on Mengele who labors for eachbreath. His eyes fall on Peter. The old man tries to

speak. No words come.

EXT. SUNNY BERLIN STREET - DAY

Peter gazes darkly across the street at a two-storybrick building distinguished by the words above theentrance: "THE WUERZBACH CLINIC FOR CHILDREN'SMEDICINE." He teeters between an urge to flee and aninescapable need to know.


78/135

76.

TIGHT ON THE FACE OF A CLOWN

Bulbous nose, red lips, a single blue tear. LAUGHTER.

INT. WUERZBACH CHILDREN'S CLINIC - DAY

Children surround the clown, many in wheelchairs, othersleaning on walkers or crutches. One slouches in herseat, head hanging to the side, drooling i

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